What Is Hojicha Powder? Why First Harvest Tencha Tastes Better

ほうじ茶, a roasted green tea

What is Hojicha?

Hojicha (ほうじ茶) is Japanese green tea that has been roasted to develop its distinctive warm aroma, brown colour and toasted flavour.

Unlike matcha, sencha or gyokuro, hojicha is not defined by a single type of leaf. Different leaves and stems can be roasted to make hojicha, which means the character of the cup is shaped both by the tea it begins with and how it is roasted. For our hojicha, it begins with shade-grown, first harvest tencha (碾茶) from Uji, Kyoto chosen for its softer and naturally sweeter foundation.

The roast then develops those leaves in different ways, bringing out flavours that can range from light and aromatic to deep, nutty and chocolate-like notes.

first harvest tencha vs late harvest Bancha

Why roast first harvest tencha?

Most hojicha is made from bancha (番茶), mature leaves gathered in the third or fourth harvest from the same tea plants as sencha. These older, tougher leaves are typically roasted heavily as they are grown in open sunlight and naturally have a more astringent character than shaded teas.

Our hojicha begins differently. In Uji, Kyoto, our heritage farms use the stems and veins of shade grown, first spring harvest tencha (碾茶), the same tea leaves used in our ceremonial matcha.

First spring harvest tea is prized for its softer and naturally sweeter character with only the youngest, tender leaves harvested once a year. Tencha is grown in the shade before harvest, limiting the sunlight that reaches new shoots. This helps to preserve amino acids such as L-theanine and moderates the development of bitter catechins, giving shaded teas its sweetness, umami and softer character.

Why does the starting leaf matter if hojicha is roasted?

Later harvest bancha leaves starts with a stronger, more bitter base, and the hojicha is roasted at high temperatures to mask the natural flavours of the leaves.

First harvest tencha gives our hojicha a more delicate starting point, as it is gently roasted to retain the tea’s natural sweetness and body beneath its toasted flavours, producing hojicha that is creamy and nutty instead of the roast being the only source of flavour.

This becomes especially noticeable when drinking hojicha with less sugar, preparing it with water, or making a latte where you still want the tea to come through.

Roasted first harvest tencha

Hojicha Edition 1 -- Medium Roast

Slowly roasted from the stems and veins of first harvest tencha.

Our medium roast hojicha brings forward notes of toasted rice, coffee, and rich cocoa, with a gentle sweetness beneath the roast. Its full-bodied character pairs elegantly with milk.

Choose medium roast if you prefer a softer roast, more aromatic sweetness and an easy everyday hojicha latte.

Shop Hojicha Edition 1 →

Roasted first harvest tencha

Hojicha Edition 2 -- Dark Roast

Gently roasted from the stems of first harvest tencha.

Our dark roast hojicha takes the same starting tea in a deeper direction. Roasted nuts and dark chocolate notes become more pronounced, with greater depth and a longer finish while remaining smooth.

Choose dark roast if you prefer a hojicha latte with a deeper roasted intensity.

Shop Hojicha Edition 2 →